Former U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on members of the BRICS group of nations on Friday, warning the alliance would quickly collapse if it ever becomes a significant economic force. "When I heard about this group from BRICS, six countries, basically, I hit them very, very hard. And if they ever really form in a meaningful way, it will end very quickly," Trump said without specifying which nations he was referring to. The BRICS group currently includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and has recently expanded to include other nations. In addition to...
West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the US crude oil benchmark, is trading around $67.15 during the early Asian trading hours on Thursday. The WTI price loses ground amid concerns over weakening demand following a surprise increase in US crude inventories. US crude oil inventories rose last week for a second consecutive build, the biggest rise since January. The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) weekly report showed crude oil stockpiles in the US for the week ending July 4 rose by 7.070 million barrels, compared to an increase of 3.835 million barrels in the previous week. The market...
The US dollar (USD) maintained a solid position on Wednesday (July 9), although its momentum weakened slightly after a strong start to the day. The greenback opened on a slightly bullish note amid ongoing tariff tensions and cautious market sentiment. Investors remained cautious following US President Donald Trump's latest tariff threats and the extension of the deadline for reciprocal duties, which continued to dampen risk appetite and supported safe-haven funds flowing into the USD. The US Dollar Index (DXY), which measures the greenback against a basket of six major currencies, rose...
The Australian Dollar (AUD) traded within a well-defined range against the US Dollar (USD) on Wednesday (July 9th), as markets digested the latest Fed Meeting Minutes and tariff-related headlines. Although tariffs are set to take effect in August, lingering trade uncertainty continues to weigh on the US Dollar. The latest tariff letters were sent to countries including Libya, Iraq, and the Philippines on Wednesday. At the time of writing, AUD/USD was trading around 0.6540, with strong resistance at 0.6550. The minutes of the June Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting revealed that...
Oil prices were steady on Wednesday (July 9) as investors weighed strong US gasoline demand data and attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, while US copper tariffs loomed. Brent crude futures closed up 4 cents, or 0.06%, at $70.19 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate crude closed up 5 cents, or 0.07%, at $68.38 a barrel. US crude oil inventories rose while gasoline and distillate inventories fell last week, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Wednesday. Crude inventories rose by 7.1 million barrels to 426 million barrels in the week ending July 4, the EIA said, compared with...
Gold rallied above $3,300 an ounce on Wednesday, recovering from earlier losses following the release of the latest FOMC minutes. At the June meeting, Fed officials differed on how quickly and aggressively to cut interest rates. While most predicted some rate cuts were likely this year, their views varied, ranging from calls for a rate cut in July to no rate cuts at all in 2025. The Fed kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 4.25%–4.5%, maintaining a cautious and data-driven stance amid mixed economic signals—tariff-driven inflation concerns, slowing consumer spending, and a...
China's official NBS Manufacturing PMI increased to 49.7 in June 2025 from May's 49.5, matching market expectations while marking the third consecutive month of contraction in factory activity.
It...
Both the STOXX 50 and STOXX 600 hovered around the flatline on Friday, as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of further developments in trade talks between US President Trump and Chinese...
President Donald Trump said Wednesday he plans to send a single letter to over 150 countries outlining the tariff rate they will face, saying, "It's all going to be the same for everyone, for that...